A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mohammed Ndarani, has urged Nigerians of all classes to return to farming to ensure food security in the country.

Ndarani made this statement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

He expressed concern over reports that no fewer than 26.5 million Nigerians suffered from food insecurity in 2024 due to an unpredictable farming season, frequent flash floods, and long months of drought.

“While growing up, every family had farms; we were all farmers, going to the farm after coming back from school, and there was sufficient food in the country.

“I had part of my education abroad but still went to the farm with my parents whenever I was in the country.

“We must go back to farming. Let the rich get involved in mechanised agriculture, just like Governor Bago is doing in Niger State, while smallholder farmers can farm even at their backyards.

“We must fight food insecurity from all angles. If every household has vegetables in their backyards, prices of vegetables will come down, and the same thing goes for other crops,” he said.

He commended President Bola Tinubu and Governor Umaru Bago of Niger for the establishment of the Abdulsalami Abubakar University of Agriculture and Climate Action in Mokwa.

The learnt silk said the establishment of the university was a significant step towards achieving food security.

“The establishment of this university speaks to the vibrant vision of the farmer-governor, Bago, for education.

“It will serve the additional purpose of considerably reducing the rate of unemployment in the state by creating diverse opportunities.

“Apart from the direct employment opportunities found in administration, teaching, and support services, there are also indirect employment opportunities.

“These opportunities will absorb unskilled labour, which is often the focus of attention for terror recruitments.

“Being a specialised university, it will equip students with marketable skills, especially in the area of climate action, a subject currently occupying global attention,” he said.

He urged the management to ensure that the university contributed immensely to combating food insecurity, not only in Niger State but in Nigeria as a whole.

“Nigerians are expecting it to attract businesses, especially in research and technology, with the added advantage of serving as a hub that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship, often through research and startup incubators,” he said.

Ndarani stated that Nigerians were expecting the nation’s universities to produce research outcomes on climate-resilient crops, improve water management systems, and promote sustainable farming practices.

“We expectfood security our agricultural institutions across the country to come up with innovations that will address the effects of climate change.

“Climate change is a variable to consider in any discussion or project that involves enhancing agricultural productivity and, by extension, food security.

“It is expected that the new university will design methods of combating climate change and thereby mitigate its effects on agriculture.

“We expect that these and other untapped potentials will catalyse the economic growth and development of Mokwa in particular and the state in general,” he said.